Migrants crossed the English Channel in small boats on Christmas Day, continuing a trend that has caused concern for the UK Government.
On Wednesday morning, several small boats were seen making the dangerous trip from France to England. More crossings are expected to happen later in the day.
These crossings came after a quiet period of over a week, during which no small boats were spotted. The last recorded incident was on December 14, when approximately 160 people arrived on three small boats, according to official figures provided by the Government.
The total number of migrants who crossed the Channel on Christmas Day will be added to the Home Office’s daily count. This year, a total of 35,040 people have made the crossing so far.
This figure is 20% higher than the number of crossings reported in 2023, showing an increase in the number of people taking the risk to reach the UK.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper acknowledged that these rising numbers are troubling. She admitted that the public would not feel reassured if the crossings continue at such high levels.
The issue has been a point of tension, with many calling for stricter measures to reduce the flow of small boats across the Channel.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has made stopping these crossings a key priority for his Government. He has focused on dismantling the criminal gangs responsible for organising these dangerous trips.
To help address the issue, the Prime Minister has introduced a new Border Security Command. This organisation is tasked with improving the UK’s border security and working more closely with other European countries to fight the organised crime groups behind human smuggling.
The crossings highlight a bigger issue of migration and border security, which continues to be a challenging and divisive topic for the UK Government and its European partners.
